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Colorado, Oregon, USC all 2-0 after second week of Pac-12 action

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda


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For the second straight week, two games were canceled due to Covid-19, but this time around, teams were able to plan ahead and save a pair of teams from having to stay home again. UCLA and Cal, scheduled to face Utah and Arizona State, respectively, instead faced off with each other Sunday. It was another entertaining weekend of games, with three of the five coming down to the final possession.

Here’s a rundown of the last weekend’s game from the Pac-12:

USC 34, Arizona 30

USC survived yet another early season scare from an Arizona school, narrowly escaping against the Wildcats, 34-30 on the road. A week ago, USC nearly fell to Arizona State in the first conference test of the season. Amon-Ra St. Brown’s late catch inside the 10-yard line set up the game-winning 8-yard touchdown run by Vavae Malapeai to give the Trojans the lead with 25 seconds left in the game. Arizona’s Grant Gunnel went 24/36 for 286 yards, three TDs, and a pick; while Kedon Slovis threw 30/43 for 325 yards and one score. – Charlie Folkestad

UCLA 34, Cal 10

UCLA overcame a slow start to pull away big from the Golden Bears. Dorrian Thompson-Robinson looked great for the Bruins, while his opposition in Justin Wilcox’ defensive unit was underwhelming. The Cal offense led by Chase Garbers wasn’t much better. Of course, there were many strange circumstances with this matchup with it being played on Sunday and not even announced until mid-week. We’ll learn a lot more about whether this result was an outlier or an accurate representation of both programs as conference play moves forward. Cal particularly will have to rebound quickly if they want to restore their preseason status as a dark horse in the Pac-12 North race. Meanwhile, UCLA gets to see if they are for real next week when they travel to Eugene to meet the defending conference champs.  – Reid Tingley

Colorado 35, Stanford 32

For a second straight week Colorado was able to hold off a late rally and are now 2-0 and tied for the South Division lead. QB Sam Noyer (291 total yards, 4 TD) and RB Jarek Broussard (121 yards) proved their debuts were no fluke, putting up points with ease against a ragged Stanford defense. The Cardinal dropped to 0-2, largely in part to a porous defense, sluggish run game (70 yards on 21 carries) and an inability to threaten downfield. Davis Mills passed for 327 yards but needed 56 attempts and 31 completions to do so. Stanford also struggled on third down, converting just 5/16 attempts. – Cliff Gibson

Oregon 43, Washington State 29

This was one of those games that offered encouraging signs for both teams. The Cougs hung with the conference’s best for 3 quarters and moved the ball on a talented Oregon defense. On the other side, Oregon exorcised some of their own demons from the past 5 years of this matchup. The Ducks turned the ball over 3 times early but showed the ability to turn it around and pull away late. Oregon is going to need to show some defensive improvement, particularly in their tackling, if they want to reach their ceiling as a playoff contender. However, many other teams around the country have shown defensive struggles early this year as a result of the abnormal offseason. Also, don’t look now, but Rolo has Wazzu looking like a top 3 team in the North in just his first season. – Reid Tingley

Washington 27, Oregon State 21

The Jimmy Lake era started with a win, but it wasn’t pretty. The Huskies fell behind on the first series when a high snap on a punt led to a scoop-and-score by the Beavers. A strong running game enabled Washington to get in front before the end of the opening period, and never trail again. Oregon State managed just 252 total yards and lost two turnovers. The Huskies ran for 267 yards, converted 8/16 third downs and did not turn the ball over. Redshirt freshman Dylan Morris got the start for UW, completing 14/24 for 141 yards. Sean McGrew ran for 91 yards and a score. — Cliff Gibson

Rankings

Oregon remained at #11 and USC stayed at #20 in this week’s AP Top 25 poll. Utah, Washington and Arizona State received votes.

Next Week (All games on Saturday)

UCLA at Oregon, TBD

Cal at Oregon State, 12:30 pm

Arizona at Washington, 5 pm

USC at Utah, 7:30 pm

Washington State at Stanford, 8 pm

Arizona State at Colorado — Canceled (Covid-19)

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Pac-12 hoping full slate is played in full after last weekend’s cancellations

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda

Utah-UCLA game most likely to be affected by COVID-19 concerns


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The Pac-12 Conference heads into its second week of action, hoping to play a full slate of games after having a pair of games canceled last weekend due to COVID-19 concerns. As entertaining as that weekend turned out to be, conference officials and fans alike are hoping to see ALL of its teams in action Saturday. Here’s a look at Saturday’s scheduled games:

USC at Arizona, 12:30 pm on FOX

The 20th-ranked Trojans not only have the upper hand in talent, but in live game action as well. USC (1-0) came from behind last weekend to beat Arizona State, but Arizona had to sit in a holding pattern as its game against Utah was canceled. QB Grant Gunnell and the Wildcats will have to get off to a fast start and shake off the rust early if they want to keep up with USC. Despite turnover and tackling issues, the Trojans showed their resolve and planted a firm foothold at the top of the South Division.


Colorado RB Jarek Broussard ran for 187 yards and three scores in his debut last week and was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week.

Colorado RB Jarek Broussard ran for 187 yards and three scores in his debut last week and was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week.

Colorado at Stanford, 12:30 pm on ESPN

It would be selfish to ask for the same production from Colorado QB Sam Noyer and RB Jarek Broussard (Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week) following their brilliant debuts last week against UCLA. But the Buffs (1-0) will need the pair to stand out again if they want to get to 2-0. Stanford (0-1) would like nothing more than to get back to business at home and do what they do best – grind opponents down with a balanced attack. This might end up being the conference’s best game of the weekend. For live coverage, follow @cliffcgibson on Twitter.

Oregon at Washington State, 4:00 pm on FOX

I’m interested to see just how the Cougars (1-0) do against 11th-ranked Oregon (1-0) with true freshman Jayden de Laura getting his first real test, one week after passing for 227 yards, rushing for 43 and accounting for a pair of scores. Meanwhile, the Ducks chewed up yardage on the ground against Stanford, with CJ Verdell leading the way with 105 yards and QB Tyler Shough adding 85. The Ducks are 14-0 under Mario Cristobal when holding opponents under 25 points.

California at Arizona State, 7:30 pm on ESPN2

The Sun Devils (0-1) were the better team last week against USC for 56 minutes, forcing turnovers and gashing the Trojans with the run game. But the inability to close it out cost them dearly and will likely keep ASU out of the conference title game. QB Jayden Daniels ran for 111 yards, marking the fifth time in school history a QB has eclipsed the 100-yard mark. Cal will be rearing to go after having its season-opener with Washington canceled due to quarantine protocol in Berkeley last week. However, the program is discussing relocating for the remainder of the season and seems unlikely they won’t be affected by the lingering distractions.


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Utah at UCLA, 7:30 pm on FOX

Of the six games scheduled this weekend, this one seems the most likely to fall victim to a COVID-19 cancellation, seeing how there are still concerns with at least six positive cases reported by the Utah program. If the Utes are able to finally open their season, they’ll have their hands full containing UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who passed for 303 yards through the air and 109 on the ground, the first player in UCLA history to accomplish that feat. Despite a valiant second-half effort, the Bruins (0-1) turned the ball over five times in the first half and fell in a 28-point hole.

Oregon State at Washington, 8:00 pm on FS1

Had it not been for the City of Berkeley’s strict COVID protocols, the Huskies would’ve played their scheduled opener last week at Cal. Instead, Jimmy Lake’s head coaching debut was pushed back a week, and now it’s at home where Washington will take on the Beavers (0-1) in a #Pac12AfterDark matchup. However, it’s still uncertain (and is expected be a game-time decision) who will get the start at QB for the Huskies. Jacob Sirmon, Kevin Thomson, Ethan Garbers, and Dylan Morris are all in the mix. Oregon State was torched at home by Washington State, allowing 229 yards on the ground and 227 through the air. For live coverage, follow @cliffcgibson on Twitter.

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Trojans’ late rally tops entertaining opening week of Pac-12 football

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda

The long wait for Pac-12 football season did not disappoint, unless you happened to be a fan of either of the four teams who had games canceled due to COVID-19. But even those fans had to appreciate a wildly entertaining first weekend of conference games, with one thrilling comeback in Los Angeles, a high-scoring affair in Boulder, business as usual in Eugene, and an upset in Corvallis.

I was more than happy with the product on display Saturday, despite not getting a chance to see my Huskies in action (thanks, City of Berkeley). But, thanks to my fellow Pac-12 colleagues, we had the entire weekend covered for you. Let’s look back at a great opening weekend.

USC 28, Arizona State 27

The Trojans gave up an alarming 258 yards on the ground, turned the ball over four times and trailed 27-14 with three minutes to play … and still won. I’m not sure if this says more about the Trojans’ resolve or the inability of the Sun Devils to close out a big game. Either way, it was one heck of a way to start the conference schedule. Kedon Slovis (381 yards, 2 TD) hit two big scoring plays in the final minutes to give USC the come-from-behind win, but poor tackling and ball security were an issue the Trojans will need to address if they want to avoid another scare. – Cliff Gibson

Oregon 35, Stanford 14

Oregon beat Stanford 35-14 Saturday afternoon in Eugene behind new Ducks quarterback Tyler Shough, who threw for 227 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT. CJ Verdell had a game-high 105 rushing yards and 1 TD on 20 carries, while Shough added 85 yards and a score of his own on the ground. Oregon’s presumed fourth-string tight end—DJ Johnson—led the offense with five catches and a TD. Mykael Wright, Noah Sewell, and Deommodore Lenoir impressed on defense; holding Stanford backup Jack West to 154 yards. The Cardinal jumped out to a 7-0 lead before conceding 28 straight points while senior Jet Toner missed four field goals. – Charlie Folkestad

Colorado 48, UCLA 42

In what may have been the most entertaining game of the weekend, a couple of Colorado debuts were the key to the Buffs’ thrilling win over Chip Kelly and the Bruins. Jarek Broussard ran for 187 yards and three scores in his first career start and QB Sam Noyer looked great in his first start for the Buffs, passing for 257 and rushing for 64 more with two total scores. Colorado ran up 525 yards of offense on the night. The Bruins, meanwhile, erased a 35-7 deficit after some incredibly sloppy play but could never overcome a minus-4 in the turnover column, despite 412 yards and 5 total TDs from QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson. – Cliff Gibson

Washington State 38, Oregon State 28

There were things to be encouraged about for both sides, the first being that Wazzu has found a quarterback in true freshman Jayden de Laura. The new Cougar offense seemed to have many of the same characteristics that we’ve become familiar with and the Cougs established a solid run game despite the absence of Max Borghi. The Beavers continue to have reason to be optimistic about their offensive development. Jermar Jefferson had some special flashes in his performance, going for 170 total yards and 3 TDs on the day. QB Tristan Gebbia looked capable as well and spread the ball around well to a lot of solid options at receiver. The offensive line play wasn’t great for Oregon State, but they still managed to stay in this game until the end. – Reid Tingley

CANCELED – California vs Washington, Utah vs Arizona

Rankings

Oregon moved up a spot in this week’s AP Top 25 to #11, while USC held firm at #20. Arizona State, California, Utah, and Washington all received votes.

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A Duck fan’s Pac-12 Power Rankings of Hate

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda
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Being a Duck is fun. It’s unique. We win a lot (this century). But it comes with a cost, albeit small: Everyone hates us. Well, now it’s my turn to hate back.

This ranking will cover every program in the Pac-12, from 11 (the most likable) to 1 (the most detestable). I have taken everything I know about the program—its fans, history, coaches, players, whatever—into account. Sometimes my reasoning is short or flawed, but explanations are provided for each selection.

11. Utah

I really can’t find a reason to hate Utah. Yes, they destroyed us in Autzen a few years back, but that’s as much our fault as it is theirs. Almost everything I hear about their setting with Rice-Eccles Stadium and the Muss is positive, and I have a huge amount of respect for Kyle Whittingham.

10. Cal

Cal doesn’t really have die-hard fans, and that makes them a lot less hateable. They have given the Ducks a few sour moments in the past, such as the 2007 touchback debacle or faking injuries to slow down our offense in 2010, but overall they’re pretty much just another conference opponent. The Bay is cool, too.

9. Colorado

Boulder and Eugene have very similar “vibes” as far as campuses and student go. Many students who attend one also consider the other. From what I know, Colorado is a very beautiful place. Being mediocre will also help a program’s case on this list, and Colorado is usually not much more than that. I really liked Mike MacIntyre when he was there, too. Even if they look like Duracell batteries on the field, I usually don’t find myself rooting against the Buffs.

8. UCLA

If you hate UCLA because of Chip Kelly, I can only tell you that you’re a miserable, vengeful person (nothing personal). Chip didn’t leave us to coach them (like Willie Taggart did at Florida State). He bounced out of the NFL and landed on his feet in L.A. I can, however, hate UCLA because it’s in LA, and LA is annoying. See also: Neuheisel, Richard.

7. Arizona State

Maybe this comes with being the biggest college in the country, but Arizona State’s travelling fans are incredibly annoying. In the handful of ASU games I’ve been to at Autzen, Sun Devils fans were rude, loud, and angry (probably because they were losing). On the field, though, ASU hasn’t beaten us in consecutive years since I was 4 years old. Not much to hate there. I also like Herm Edwards a lot and find myself rooting for the Sun Devils to beat up on fellow Pac-12 North teams.

6. Washington State

The Cougs land this high almost solely because they are in the Pacific Northwest. Ducks and Cougs have a common enemy in UW, and only recently have they become competitive, taking a nice 11-year break from winning records (2004-2014) in my lifetime. Mike Leach is hilarious and although their Air Raid offense makes games last forever, it’s pretty entertaining.

5. Arizona

In my mind, Arizona fans will forever be remembered for storming the field too early in 2009. You just hate to see it. However, they have given the Ducks some stinging results in recent history, and seeing Mike Stoops in action was exhausting. Also, they injured Dennis Dixon and ruined our season in 2007.

4. Stanford

Stanford appears at #4 because they beat us when it mattered, including a championship-caliber Ducks squad in 2012. Simple as that. I respect the way they do things under David Shaw, and the only players of theirs I have disliked are all white linebackers for some reason (Shane Skov for being too good, Chase Thomas for the fake injury, and Owen Marecic for the fake hype). I can’t hate on the education or area very much, although I can (and have and will) clown on them for never filling their stadium.

3. USC

Some call them the University of Spoiled Children. I call them barely-relevant since Pete Carroll left. USC acts like it will be a powerhouse every season, even when they lose to Fresno State (no disrespect to the Bulldogs, but come on Trojans). Their lack of consistency gives people a reason to discount the Pac-12 every year. Overall, USC is so high on this list because they used to beat up on us, and now they can’t even put on for the conference.

2. Oregon State

The top two on this list should have been obvious, but the order has changed in recent years. Oregon State hasn’t been to a bowl game since 2013, and the Beavers are without a 10-win season since 2006. Beaver fans are as bitter as ever and try to get a leg up on Ducks whenever they can (even if it means flaunting College Baseball success). At least they know and admit they’re currently inferior, unlike…

1. Washington

Washington fans complaining that “Phil Knight’s Nike money paid the refs!” pretty much sums it all up. Jealous of Oregon’s strong national brand, Husky fans have convinced themselves that winning two Pac-12 titles and losing their only playoff appearance amounts to some sort of superiority (despite losing 14 out of the last 16 matchups). Hate Week has returned to a trash-talking buffet, complete with everything from a new celebration to fake Twitter accounts. It’s good to have a competitive rivalry against a fanbase with a pulse again (sorry Stanford).

So, do you like my list? Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments. Go Ducks!

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Oregon-Colorado: A preview, of sorts

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda
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The 13th-ranked Oregon Ducks (4-1, 1st in Pac-12 North) will host the Colorado Buffaloes (3-2, 5th in Pac-12 South) on Friday night in Autzen Stadium. Colorado is coming off a crucial loss to Pac-12 South foe Arizona, while the Ducks seized control over the Pac-12 North with a home win against Cal and Washington’s loss to Stanford.

Fridays are usually for letting loose. School/work is over and you want to go home and get ready for a night of fun and recreation, whatever that may entail. This Friday will bring Pac-12 football to a TV or stadium near you. The vibe on campus is similar to that of a regular game, but the energy will be much different in the stadium. People are excited to start the weekend off with a bang—so get your (home)work done early!

In this article, I’ll cover Oregon’s history with midweek games, Colorado, and what to watch for on Friday.

Game Info

  • Who: Colorado Buffaloes @ #13 Oregon Ducks
  • Where: Autzen Stadium in Eugene, OR
  • When: 7pm PT, TV on FS1

Weeknight games: A love/hate relationship

Weeknight games are an interesting subject. They can be pivotal games, as in 2007, 2013 or 2014—but they can also be national showcases for beatdowns, as in the 2010 matchup with UCLA or the game against Cal the following year. The following is a complete chronological list of every regular season weeknight game the Ducks have participated in since their win over Colorado in the 2001-02 Fiesta Bowl:

  • 17-13 loss at Utah in 2003 (Friday)
  • 38-24 win at Houston in 2005 (Thursday)
  • 30-28 Civil War loss 2006 (Friday)
  • 24-34 loss to Arizona 2007 (Thursday)
  • 8-19 loss to Boise 2009 (Thursday)
  • 37-33 Civil War win 2009 (Thursday)
  • 60-13 win vs UCLA 2010 (Thursday)
  • 48-29 win vs Arizona 2010 (Friday)
  • 45-13 win vs Cal 2011 (Thursday)
  • 43-21 win at ASU 2012 (Thursday)
  • 20-26 loss at Stanford 2013 (Thursday)
  • 36-35 Civil War win 2013 (Friday)
  • 31-24 loss vs Arizona 2014 (Thursday)
  • 59-41 win at Cal 2014 (Friday)
  • 61-55 win at ASU 2015 (Thursday)
  • 52-42 Civil War win (Friday)
  • 49-52 loss at Cal 2016 (Friday)
  • 55-15 Civil War win 2018 (Friday)

That’s 11 wins and seven losses in eighteen games. Not really a stellar record. That includes a 6-4 record on Thursdays and a 5-3 one on Fridays. Very “meh.” The same attitude exists for consuming these games, both as a fan of a participant and neutrals. Weeknight matchups can be a lot of fun, and if you’re a football-starving soul searching for any nourishment they can get (like me), they can provide some much-needed entertainment a day or two early. Thursdays might be better for national consumption, but Fridays allow teams to be included in both surrounding Saturdays.

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Ducks and Buffs

It’s been a while since Oregon and Colorado met. In the last decade-plus, Oregon has mainly used Colorado as a punching bag en route to a double-digit-win season, but the roles reversed the last time these two teams met. See below:

Oregon vs Colorado this century Result CU coach (season record) UO head coach (season record)
2001-02 Fiesta Bowl 38-16 Oregon Gary Barnett (10-3) Mike Bellotti (11-1)
2011 Pac-12 45-2 Oregon Jon Embree (3-10) Chip Kelly (12-2)
2012 Pac-12 70-14 Oregon Embree (1-11) Kelly (12-1)
2013 Pac-12 57-16 Oregon Mike MacIntyre (4-8) Mark Helfrich (11-2)
2014 Pac-12 44-10 Oregon MacIntyre (2-10) Helfrich (13-2)
2015 Pac-12 41-24 Oregon MacIntyre (4-9) Helfrich (9-4)
2016 Pac-12 41-38 Colorado MacIntyre (10-4) Helfrich (4-8)

While this would indicate a positive trend for Colorado, the reality is that these two programs haven’t played each other since the Mark Helfrich era. This 2019 season better resembles the bulk of the recent results so far.

Implications

Oregon is seen as the only Pac-12 team with a shot at the College Football Playoff, while Colorado enters with a 3-2 record after a 35-30 home loss to Arizona. Colorado’s season started strong enough, beating rivals Northern Colorado and a ranked Nebraska in consecutive weeks. However, they were humbled by an overtime loss to Air Force that required 13 fourth-quarter points for the Buffs to even stay in it.

Their first two conference games pitted Colorado against both Arizona schools. First, they earned a hard-fought win in the desert against Herm Edwards‘ ranked Sun Devils. However, the Buffs were exposed by Khalil Tate and Arizona at home the following week. Tate racked up 404 yards and three touchdowns, completing 31 of his 41 passes. Many of these were quick screens or shallow routes, but Colorado struggled to defend deep areas as well, giving up 75- and 33-yard touchdown passes. Both conference games had point totals of 65.

Colorado could have put themselves in the driver’s seat if they’d beaten Arizona, but they’re now nearing Pac-12 Championship exclusion for the eighth time in nine years with games against Washington State, Washington, USC, and Utah still remaining.

What to expect

Colorado has a lot of talent at wide receiver, with Senior Tony Brown adding to the production from star Juniors K.D. Nixon and Laviska Shenault Jr. All three wide-outs have had at least one 100-yard game each thus far, and Brown has had two. They have been bitten by the injury bug recently, though, and both Shenault and Dixon are still day-to-day, as are Russell Brady and Jalen Harris—Colorado’s first- and second-string tight ends.

Colorado’s fifth-year quarterback, Steven Montez, will be familiar to Duck fans from the 2016 matchup in Autzen. Back then, a redshirt freshman Montez was backing up injured starter Sefo Liufau, and the youngster didn’t disappoint. Montez threw three touchdowns as the Buffs beat the Ducks by three points. His 177.7 passer rating still ranks as his fourth-best performance against a Power 5 opponent. So far this season, Montez has thrown 10 TDs and two interceptions to go with his 67% completion percentage. He also has two more completions than Justin Herbert through five games.

Montez and the Colorado passing attack could be a dangerous weapon if the injuries aren’t too much to overcome, and will surely be fun to watch against Oregon’s nationally-ranked defense that has been the best in the Pac-12 thus far. Ducks Defensive Coordinator Andy Avalos called the Colorado offense Oregon’s “toughest challenge yet.”

The Buffs defense will certainly have to improve if they have any shot at upsetting the Ducks, though. Their unit is yet to concede less than 30 points against any foe in 2019. Add a couple starters—safety Mikial Onu and nose tackle Jalen Sami—to the list of day-to-day players that could have big impacts in this one. As Tate did last week, Justin Herbert will have to be his most disciplined self this week. Expect to see a lot of passing against a vulnerable Colorado secondary. One thing Colorado’s defense is good at, though, is forcing turnovers. They lead the conference with 2.4 turnovers per game, and this was a big issue for the Oregon offense last week.

Like the game against Cal, the Ducks will expect to win this game comfortably. Oregon is a three-touchdown favorite. Although I incorrectly predicted Oregon to beat the three-score spread last Saturday, the Ducks squandered four possessions on Cal’s end of the field in the first half—turning the ball over three times and missing a field goal—and still won by two scores. These first two turnovers occurred in the red zone and the Ducks could have had all the momentum early if not for the self-inflicted errors.

Prediction

To review: I expect the Ducks to pass the ball quite a bit and exploit some gaps in Colorado’s secondary. I also expect Steven Montez and the Colorado offense to compete well and score at least a touchdown, maybe two. It might be tough for the Ducks to cover this spread, but I still expect them to win comfortably and show some growth on offense: 31-13 Oregon.

All stats from sports-reference.com.

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